Fastener for shoes.



PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

S. J. SWANSON.

FASTBNER FOR SHOES.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 27. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FASTENER FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,957, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed April 27, 1903.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. SwANsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Shoes, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to new and useful fasteners for shoes, gloves, corsets, &c., and is here illustrated as applied to shoes.

The object which I have in View is to provide an adjustable and detachable means to which the laces are interlaced and which in turn are adapted to retain the upper portions of a shoe together andthe same upon awearers foot. I

With my improvement the appearance of a shoe will remain practically the same, but the necessity of havingto interlace the strings, as is now the case, is entirely avoided.

The improvements will be clearlyseen from the following description and drawings accompanying such description and forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a front View of a shoe with my improvements attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail of the detachable part of my improvement. Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged crosssection on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of a shoe by means of which my improvements may be easily and readily attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on the line Y Y of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the' line Z Z of Fig. 4.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts of the figures.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a shoe having the usual upper portions or vamp 2, adapted to the ankle and lower portion of alimb. Adjacent to the outer free edges of the portions 2 I provide aseries of slots or seat portions 3, suitably protected by metal. These slots are formed by perforating the Vamps 2 at intervals in the manner shown and backing the same with the metal or stiffening pieces or plates 4; and 5 indicates suitable plates or pieces arranged on the front of the Vamps,

Serial No. 154,372. (No model.)

partially covering the slots 3 and passing through the body of the Vamps and bent down over the plates 4, (see Figs. 4, 5, and 6,)and the inner faces of the Vamps are faced with strips 6 of leather or other desirable material.

7 indicates strips, preferably of leather, to which at intervals are secured the plates 8, carrying the links 9 and bent to form the catches 10. These plates are placed on the back of the strips 7t0 coincide with the slots 3 in the shoe proper, as shown. On the outer face of the strips and coinciding with the plates 8 may be provided as an ornament the buttons 11, which may be secured to the strips 7 and to the plates 8, as shown in Fig. 3, which will serve as the securing means for retaining the plates 8 to the strips 7.

The aim of the invention is readily apparent. The strips 7 are laced together, as shown in Fig. 1, by the laces 12 being interlaced through the links 9 and adjusting them to a shoe to which the strips are designed to be attached. It is preferable to interlace the lace through the links 7 before attaching the said strips carrying the links to the shoe. After this is done one of the strips is attached to one side of the vamp by inserting the catches 10 in the slots 3, being retained therein by the covering-plates 5, and after placing the shoe upon the foot the opposite strip 7 by its catches 10 may be hooked to the opposite vamp in the manner just previously described. When it is'desired to remove the shoe from the foot, the laces are untied in the usual way, when one of the strips 7 is detached by releasing its hooks 10 from the slots in its corresponding vamp. The laces, together with the detached strip, will then fall back and the shoe may be easily removed. The adjustable features of the invention are also readily apparent. By drawing the ends of the laces tightly the shoe adjusts itself to the foot, making the pressure the same on all parts of the foot and ankle, and thus avoiding tight lacing in any part of the shoe.

The dev ce is not only applicable to shoes, but also to gloves, corsets, or any wearingapparel using buttons or laces.

It is obvious that many changes maybe made in the detail construction of the device just described. The means here shown for through the links of the strips secured to the l opposite Vamps, substantially as specified.

retaining the links and the slots in the VELFHDS scured-and I do not wish to be confined to k the showing made, as it was preferable to vamps, inturned hooked portions attached to Show this particular structure.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with the Vamps of a shoe provided with a series of slots, metal backing for the said slots, and metal portions overlying a portion of each of the slots, detachable strips 5 adapted to extend the full length of the Vamps,

cured to the said plates, and a lace interlaced 2. In a fastener of the character described, the combination with the vamps of a shoe provided with slots at intervals the length of the said Vamps, suitable backing for the slots and plates overlying a portion of each of the slots, a pair of elongated strips adapted to have a detachable connection with the opposite the rear of the strips adapted to coincide with the slots ofthe Vamps, links attached to the hooks, a lace adapted to be interlaced through the opposite links of the opposing strips, and ornamental buttons attached to the strips and coinciding with the placing of the links, subl stantially as specified.

In testimony \vhereot SAMUEL J. SVVANSON.

\Vitnesses:

G. P. WILLIAMs, JENNIE DAvis.

I afllx my signature in 1 presence of two Witnesses. plates secured at intervals to the rear of the J said strips having hooked portions, links se- 1 

